Spiced Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

When you are someone like me who cannot handle a ton of dairy, but absolutely loves a nice creamy consistency when it comes to warm and cozy drinks, it can be a bit of a challenge to find something that actually fulfills that craving besides dairy. In my opinion almond milk can be a bit too watery when it comes to adding it to warm drinks or using it as a base for warm drinks. When it comes to hot chocolate, I am always looking for something that has a rich body that will coat the back of my mouth, following with a warm hug as it slithers down my throat. I want to feel happy as I drink it, and most importantly I want to enjoy it! I have tried so many ready to use mixes from brands that completely outweigh any of the classic choices you may find in the grocery store, but time and time again I find myself craving this recipe. Don’t get me wrong, the classic packets or mixes are always somewhat satisfying in a pinch, (I actually love the starbucks double chocolate ones) especially for someone in college! However if it’s for something special, like a party, or lets say you’re in the TREAT YO SELF mood, this recipe is definitely something you want to make. It’s warm, deep with chocolate, and has slight hints of coziness from the added spices.

Begin by adding all of the coconut milk and water in a large saucepan or pot and bring to a boil whisking occasionally.

Turn off the heat and add in the cinnamon sticks and tea bags, then cover and steep for 5-10 minutes tasting as time goes by to see the strength of the flavor.

When you’ve reached your desired strength of flavor squeeze the tea bags out into the coconut milk, being careful not to break them. (You can leave the cinnamon sticks in). Turn the heat back on until the milk simmers.

Remove from heat and add in your cocoa powder and whisk well to remove the lumps. Then add in all of your chocolate chips, letting it sit covered for a few minutes. Once that’s done, whisk quite well to allow it to dissolve as smoothly as possible into the coconut milk.

Once the mixture is smooth, add in your Vanilla, Salt, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.

Reheat slightly if necessary to perfect the temperature and texture, then serve!

Notes:

*Originally when I tested this recipe out I used a whole can of coconut milk for one person, however it makes a lot more than you most likely need if you base it off of that. It’s a very rich drink so 15 people per 8 cans seems about accurate, however its based on how much people drink at a time. I used 7 cans to serve about 10-12 people and it worked perfectly. Adapt as you need it! It also stores in the refrigerator but it will separate, so I recommend you just make it and drink it right away.

** You need sweeter chocolate to provide sweetness to your drink since the coconut milk is unsweetened. The trader joes semi sweet is pretty sweet, so if you’re questioning which kind of chocolate to buy, opt for a sweeter richer one like semi sweet!

It may seem redundant to use all these spices in different ways however it provides a really nice background note to the deep chocolate and coconut flavor. It’s perfect for people who don’t love coconut or are scared it will be too coconut forward. You can slightly taste the coconut, but it just becomes another background flavor. All the coconut lovers and even haters I gave this to loved this drink!